Fly Away Home
by HopeInMyHeart
Summary: After the massacre at Seattle Grace Mercy West, April takes leave, and heads home to Columbus, to be with her family, and figure out how to heal from the trauma she has just been through
1. Chapter 1

"I can't believe she's gone." April Kepner shakes her head, still in shock and disbelief over the trauma of the past week of her life. In the span of a day, she had stared down the barrel of a gun, witnessed the shooting of her friend and mentor, Derek Shepherd, and lost two trusted colleauges. Worst of all, it had been her that had literally stumbled upon her best friend's body as she lay in a pool of blood from a gunshot wound to the head.

She shudders for the thousandth time reliving the moment, a moment she can safely conclude was the worst moment of her life. Now, she stands silently between Jackson Avery and Lexie Grey to bid goodbye to Reid as her family and friends weep openly and grieve their sudden and terrible loss.

"The ceremony was beautiful." Lexie whispers, as the crowd at the cemetery begins to slowly thin out.

"Are you ready to go?" Jackson extends his hand to her.

"I need to go and tell Reid's parents goodbye" she says, without looking at him.

April tentaively approaches Carol Addamson, a woman who had welcomed her into her home like her own child.

"Carol?" April chokes, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, April-" Carol turns and wraps her arms around April's slender frame."How is this happening? How could this have happened?"

April's tears spill over onto her cheeks "Carol, I- I'm so sorry."

Carol takes her face in her hands "Please promise you'll come by to see us, April. Please, I just don't think I could bear to lose you in our lives, Reid loved you so much. You were like a sister to her."

April looks away, in a desperate attempt to remain somewhat composed in front of Reid's distraught mother. She allows Carol to kiss her cheek.

"I promise. I'll come to see you" she says quietly, before turning back to Jackson.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to the apartment?" Jackson gently asks.

April nods. "I can't keep making people go up there for me. I need to do this. I haven't been home in a week.

"There's no hurry April. I'm happy to go and get whatever you need." He insists.

April shakes her head, grateful for the friend she had in Jackson. In the week following the shooting, he had become her protector, and hadn't blinked when she asked him, that first night if he would mind going up to her and Reid's apartment to pack a bag for her. It was too soon, too fresh to walk back into a place filled with 3 years of happy memories with her best friend. She had jumped at the offer from Meredith Grey to stay at her house for as long as she needed to. But now, it was time to go back.

April's hands shake with grief and nerves as she fumbles to find her house key.

"Here. Let me" Jackson takes her keys.

The door to their sunny apartment opens, and all at once, April can feel herself beginning to break down. She turns, her chin trembling, legs wobbly, and allows herself to fall into Jackson's open arms.

"I can't. I can't do this Jackson." she sobs. "I can't."

"Shh. April It's okay. You don't have to." Jackson holds her tightly, and closes the door behind her.

She sobs into his lapel in the hallway for a few moments before finally looking at him. "I need to get out of here." she says tearfully.

"Let's go back to Meredith's." he suggests, gently leading her away from the apartment.

She shakes her head. "No. I mean, I need to go."

Jackson looks at her with confusion. "What?"

"Jackson, I need to go home." She finally says. "To Ohio."


	2. Chapter 2

"Joe? _Joe!_ She's coming home!" Karen Kepner calls from the kitchen as soon as she hangs up with her daughter later that night.

"What honey?" Joe flips off the radio in the basement

"April just called." Karen appears at the top of the basement stairs. "She's coming home tomorrow. For the month."

For the first time in a week and a half, since April had called to assure them that she was safe, Karen's body relaxes. "_Tomorrow night,"_ she thinks to herself, her second born daughter will be home, safe and sound. Neither she, nor Joe had slept much since hearing the horrifying news announcement that a shooting had broken out at a Seattle area hospital. They had spent the majority of the day trying and failing to reach her, and finally, at 8 p.m. that night, April was finally able to call home. They had begged her, pleaded with her to take leave and come home, but level headed April insisted she was fine. Karen however, could tell otherwise.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Karen spins around to see her youngest daughter, Alice standing behind her. Karen's face breaks into a smile. "Buggy, your sister is coming home, tomorrow."

Alice's blue eyes widen with excitement. "April is coming home? Like, for real coming home?"

"Yes. For the month."

"I want to go with you, to pick her up." Alice declares. But Karen shakes her head.

"Why not?"

"Alice. April's been through a lot. I think it'd be better if it was just me who went. Besides, you have school. Your graduation is in 2 weeks. She'll be here when you get home."

Alice rolls her eyes "fine. Whatever."

"So does that mean I can't go either?" Joe asks.

"Honey." Karen begins.

"No. no, it's okay. I'll just be here waiting to give my Cricket a hug when she gets here." Joe smiles broadly. "I'm just relieved to hear she'll be home for a while."

"Going or Coming?" The college student in the seat next to April asks with a smile

"Excuse me?"

"Are you leaving for a vacation or coming back?"

"Oh. Neither." April adjusts her seatbelt. "I'm going home... to Columbus."

"Sweet."

April nods, hoping that the conversation will die and that she can sleep through the flight without having to be polite to the pimple faced kid next to her for 5 hours. She is relieved when a moment later, he busies himself with his Ipod.

Karen waits anxiously for news that April's plane has landed. She paces the terminal back and forth, worried and nervous, and ready to hold her daughter close. Finally, the moment arrives, and Karen is shocked when she finally sees her daughter. April's naturally rosy appearance has been replaced by pale, gaunt, sallow cheeks. The bags under her eyes indicate that April hasn't been doing much sleeping. Karen's heart breaks at the sight of her clearly traumatized daughter.

"April!" she calls out, waving, and brushing off the worry that clearly spread across her face.

"Mom!" for a brief moment, April's eyes light up as she reaches her mother.

Karen throws her arms around her daughter, and the facade is immediately dropped by them both. Mother and child stand in the terminal, embracing for a long moment, crying silently. Finally Karen pulls away to look at April.

"It's okay" she whispers, taking her face in her hands, just as she did when she was a tiny child. "Let's get you home, okay?"

April's silence in the car is unnerving.

"Are you... do you want to talk about it?" Karen asks gently.

April shakes her head. "Not right now. I just want to get home."

"Your sisters can't wait to see you!" Karen says brightly.

April smiles at the thought of the three of them. "How are the babies?"

Karen's face lights up at the mention of her oldest daughter Libby's little boys, Andrew and Ben.

"everyone's great honey. I know Andrew is excited to see his Auntie. He's been a little needy since Ben came home."

"I can't wait to meet my new little nephew." April says with a small smile.

For the first time in what feels like an eternity, April breathes a sigh of relief when the sight of her old house appears on the corner. She grins.

"I see Alice's protests about cutting down the tire swing haven't gone in vain."

"That thing will be up for the rest of our natural lives." Karen laughs. She puts the car in park in the driveway. "Go on in Cricket. Your dad is anxious to see you."

April wastes no time in jogging up the front path.

"Daddy!" She breathes, letting him envelop her in a bear hug.

"My Cricket." he holds her tightly. "Are you okay?"

April looks down. She has always been a daddy's girl at heart. She suddenly finds herself on the verge of tears. The kind of tears a child cries when placing a phone call from the front office at school to tell mom or dad they need to be picked up because they're too sick to stay in school.

"Oh Cricket, don't cry." he cups her chin in his hand. "It's all over now. For the next month, you're not to worry about anything. We'll get you back on your feet, okay? It's all going to be alright."

April wraps her arms around her father, grateful to have him, as she always has, as her protector. The man whose shoes she used to dance on, who cried harder than she did when he pitched her first softball too hard, and it smacked her directly in the face. The feeling of protection she suddenly felt was a welcomed relief from feeling as though at any moment, her life could be over, at the snap of a finger, or the pull of an unforgiving trigger.

"Cricket!" Alice can be heard shrieking from upstairs, her feet pounding down from her room.

Karen throws her husband a look. "She should be in school Joseph."

"I didn't even know she was home!" he protests.

"Alice Marie Kepner." April commands, as her baby sister comes into view. "Why aren't you in school?" But there is no hiding the smile on her face as Alice flies down the stairs, and directly into her big sister's arms.

"I needed to see you." Alice says. "Cricket I've been worried sick, I just... I had to see you right away, and _mom_ wouldn't let me come to the airport."

"So you cut class?" April shakes her head, "not good Buggy. Not good."

"I graduate in two weeks. I'm practically done!" Alice protests.

April ruffles her hair. "No more ditching. Got it? I will personally walk you to and from school for the next two weeks. No cutting. Got it?"

Alice throws up her hands, "I hear you. I hear you. Listen, I told Libby we'd walk over to see her and the boys. She's dying to see you too. Drop your stuff, let's go."

"Alice take it easy!" Joe urges, "She just got here!"

April shakes her head, "It's okay Dad. I don't mind. If there's anything I've learned in the past week is to spend as much time with the people you love." She turns to Alice, "Grab that bag, Buggy. Let's drop this stuff up in my room and then we can go."

Alice's face lights up all over again. "I'm so glad you're home Cricket." She wraps her arms lovingly around April's neck once more.

"Me too little one. Me too." she whispers.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, have you made any decisions about College yet?" April links her arm through Alice's on the short walk over to Libby's.

"I have a few schools in mind."

"Oh?"

Alice nods. "I'm thinking about U Dub actually."

April's face breaks into a wide smile. "Seattle? Alice! I had no idea! Did you get accepted yet?"

Alice's face breaks into a sly smile. "I found out two weeks ago. But I haven't told Mom and dad yet.

They're likely to freak out if I tell them I want to go to school across the country." Alice shrugged. "You know how they are. Remember when you left?"

April nods understandingly. "But see! They came around. And, I'll be there to help you. It might be different."

Alice shakes her head. "You haven't been here all week April. Since you called to tell them the news of what happened to you, they've been impossible. They won't let me go around the corner without checking in. Total. Nightmares."

"I'm sorry sis, really. It's not fair for them to take their fears out on you." April sighs.

"Is that _my _baby sister I see! Libby's smile radiates from her front porch. She carefully stands up with her newborn son in her arms. "Come here, come here and meet your new nephew!"

April hugs her tightly "Hey sis!" she whispers. She squeals at the sight of her newborn nephew

"Oh. Oh my god" she breathes. Libby look at him!

"I know! He's finally here!"

"After 27 _years_ in labor" Alice chimes in. "Where's Andrew? I told him I'd show him how to ride his scooter the next time I came over."

Libby motions behind her. "He's just about to get up from his nap. He's been talking about you all day Liccy."

"Nice!" Alice nods in satisfaction. "I'll go see if he's awake." She chuckles to herself as she dissapears into the house.

April holds out her arms. "Can I hold my nephew?"

Libby hands her the baby, and studies her for a moment. "Alright. Sit down." she finally says.

"Um ok?" April sits down on the edge of the patio chair and smiles down at the newborn in her arms.

"He got Jake's nose." Libby smiles, and then turns her attention to her little sister.

"How are you?"

"Fine... jet lagged. But, I'm fine."

Libby purses her lips. "No. I mean how_ are _you?"

"Really. I'm fine Libby, come on, don't shrink me out here. Please."

"_April."_

"Don't you dare "April" me" she adds quickly.

"too late."

"Look, you might be a psychiatrist, but I'm not your patient Libby, I really don't want to talk about this."

"April, I'm your sister. Please."

April sighs. "I'm... surviving." she finally admits.

"Nightmares?"

She nods quietly, hating her sister for making her do this, but deep down, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the push Libby had just given her.

Libby clasps her little sister's hand tightly. "It's okay Cricket. You can't expect to feel fine after being traumatized like that. Listen to me, I want you to talk to me. Please, promise me you'll let me help you?"

April wipes her eyes. "Every time I close my eyes, I relive it."

"I know. I understand." Libby wipes her own tears away. "That afternoon, when we didn't know... April, I've never been more terrified in my life. The thought that you might be hurt, or... or... worse. I can't even tell you."

"I- I'm sorry."

Libby nods quietly, "It was awful, for all of us April."

"Hey Hey!" The intensity of their sisterly chat is suddenly interrupted as Alice bounces back on to the porch with Andrew clinging to her neck.

"Andy!" April quickly hands the baby back to Libby, in order to scoop her delicious, red headed nephew up at once.

"Auntie!" Andrew pats her cheeks with a wide grin. "I got buzz lightyear underwears!"

"Wow! You're such a big boy now!" April marvels, shooting her sister a "Remember when he was as big as your wrist to your elbow" sort of look.

"Come see me ride my scooter." Andy wriggles out of April's arms and looks up expectantly at Alice. "Ready Liccie?"

"You bet." Alice and Andy take off for the garage.

"I can't believe how _big_ he is!" April shakes her head.

"He's pretty awesome. Except... he's not crazy about this one." Libby says quietly, motioning to Ben.

"Remember how_ I_ felt about Kimmy?" April reminds her.

Libby chuckles. "If I remember correctly, you, a smarty pants at age 3, tried to talk the neighbors into taking her for a 5.00 price tag."

April shrugs with her own smile. "He'll come around. Hey, have you talked to the wild child lately?"

Libby's wide smile shrinks and she shakes her head. "She calls every once and a while, but, she's doing her own thing. She's happy. I guess that's all we can ask for.

April nods quietly. "She never returns my calls either. But, she did send me a text last week, so I guess that's something."

"Auntie! I'm ready!" Andrew bellows from the driveway, decked out in a helmet, elbow and knee pads, ready to mount his scooter.

"Oh... my God." April bursts out laughing. "You make him wear all of that for a trip down the driveway?"

"Oh God no." Libby rolls her eyes. "_He_ insists on wearing it all. Remind you of anyone? She good naturedly pokes April in the ribs."

"Watch me!" He shrieks, taking off down the driveway with Alice chasing behind him every step of the way.

For the first time in a week and a half, April could feel something stir inside her, a sense of calm and peace had returned for the firs time since the shooting, and she desperately hoped to cling to it for dear life.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mom. Really, you don't need to tuck me into bed. I'm 29 years old. It's okay." April sighs as she crawls into the old twin bed later that night. She had been stuffed at dinner beyond comprehension, and singlehandedly schooled her dad in two games of gin rummy before deciding to turn in and get some sleep in the same familiar room she had grown up in. Her 4H ribbons still plastered the walls, and her science fair trophies were badly in need of dusting.

"nonsense" Karen shushed her. "You're my baby, and you're home, and I'll tuck you in whether you like it or not." Karen raises an eyebrow that April dare not question. She smiles as Karen adjusts the pillows behind her daughter's head. "I thought maybe you'd want to stop by the school tomorrow, see your mom in action in the classroom? Maybe be our mystery reader?"

April nods. "I'd love to."

"Goodnight Cricket." Karen kisses her forehead. "I'm just glad you're home."

She has grown accustomed to the same recurring nightmare, of being terrorized on the bridge of the hospital, tripping over Reid's dead body, watching Derek get shot because of her. And tonight it's no different. Gary Clark and his particular brand of terror have become familiar in the past week. So too have the feelings of waking up sick to her stomach, and sometimes, even waking up in tears. However unlike other nights, tonight, April is startled awake from the nightmares by a noise coming from downstairs. Her eyes dart wildly, and her body is frozen in terror. "it's nothing" she assures herself. "It's just my mind playing tricks on me. " But there was no denying that there was activity going on in the kitchen directly below her.

"Cricket?" Alice appears in her doorway, "did you hear something downstairs?" Alice's voice is full of fear.

April sits up, "Come here Alice." Alice races into the room, just as she had when she was 5, and turned to April to comfort her from bad dreams. April swallows the numbing terror that has gripped her body. "Stay. Here. Do you understand me?" she instructs Alice.

"Your softball bat is still in the c-c-closet" Alice stammers.

April nods gratefully, and quickly finds it before heading downstairs, wondering how on earth she had summoned the courage to confront the intruder.

She swallows hard, as she tiptoes down the stairs, fully prepared to do what she had only just recently done, and potentially beg for her life. Again.

She counts to three, and stalks directly into the kitchen, and is immediately confused with what she sees before her. Whoever had just broken in had felt it necessary to root around in the fridge before terrorizing her family. It didn't make sense. And all at once, April drops the baseball bat. She knows by the shape of the intruders frame, and her jet black hair, exactly who she is dealing with.

"Kimberly Brooke Kepner" She commands, causing Kimmy to spin around and drop the jar of pickles in her hand. What the _hell_ are you doing sneaking into this house at 2 in the morning?


	5. Chapter 5

"God April, you should wear a bell around your neck or something!" Kimmy hisses.

"And you should stop breaking into peoples houses." April snaps back. "Kimmy what the hell are you doing here?"

"April. I was never here" she says quietly. I just... I'm passing through, I needed a quick bite, and I'm headed to the bus station" Kimmy says quickly.

"The _hell_ you are." April swiftly moves to block her from the back door.

"April? Alice peeps from the top of the back staircase. "Is everything alright?"

Kimmy shoots April a glance. "No. nononono." she mouths. April chews the inside of her cheek nervously

"Everything's fine sweetie." She finally calls back a moment later. "Nothing down here. Go back to bed okay?"

Kimmy and April both hold their breath and wait for Alice's bedroom door to close.

"Let me go." Kimmy hisses.

"No way." April flips on the kitchen light and stares at her little sister's face in shock. The right side of her face has been badly injured, her eye is nearly swollen shut, and she has a large cut across her cheekbone. Kimmy winces in the light. "Damnit April." she mutters.

"Kimmy! What happened to you? Who did this to you? Tell me what happened right now." She waits for her eyes to adjust completely in the shock of the kitchen light, fully aware that the light flooding from the kitchen may very well wake her parents, and tip Alice off that something is up.

"April. I can't. I'm fine." Kimmy protests.

"No. you're not. You're not fine. You need stitches, and a facial x ray. You're hurt. Badly."

"Turn off the damn kitchen light April. I don't need Mom and Dad to wake up and see this." Kimmie pleads.

April swallows hard, and turns off the kitchen light, thinking quickly about what to do next. There was no way in hell she was going to let Kimmy out of her sight now, not like this.

She thinks for another moment. "Alright. Here's what's going to happen." she stares at Kimmy in the darkness of the kitchen. "I am going to get dad's keys, and you and I are going to the emergency room." she finally says.

"_No_." Kimmy eyes the door and April braces her back against it. "we go quietly. April finishes, "or I turn on every single light in this house right now and mom and dad find out before you're ready." she says, raising her eyebrows.

Kimmy sets her jaw in a line. "I should have never stopped in here to get food." she mutters. "I should have just kept on moving and figured it out as I went."

"Your choice Kimberly" April warns.

"Fine."

"Alright. Right answer." April reaches for the keys to Joe's truck off of the counter without making any motion to move from the back door.

"You're going in your Pajamas?"

"I'll go in my pajamas." April confirms. "I don't care."

April knows better than to start her father's old truck in the middle of the Kepner driveway. She slips it into neutral, and eases out of the neighborhood before firing up the engine.

"What the hell are you doing in town anyway?" Kimmy finally asks.

"I needed some time off after the shooting." April says tightly.

"Oh."

"Are you ready to tell me what the hell happened to your face?" She turns to her. "I'm going to find out anyway."

"April, you wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Kimmy shakes her head, and falls silent for the rest of the ride to the emergency room. Finally, April puts the car in park.

"Last chance to tell me before a Doctor makes some pretty nasty accusations that you're gonna need to answer Kimberly." April warns.

Kimmy stares out the passenger side window. "If I tell you, you have to promise you'll be calm." she starts slowly.

"I promise to try." April offers. And finally, slowly, Kimmy turns to face her. April's stomach lurches at the sight of her sister's busted face.

"My husband did this to me." Kimmy says quietly.

"Your _what_?" April stares at her little sister in shock and disbelief. "You're... _married_?"


	6. Chapter 6

"It's a long story April. I can't get into it right now." Kimmy quietly says as they sit, waiting to be seen by the triage doctor.

"Looks like we have a while." April raises her brow.

Kimmy shakes her head. "I know I owe you an explanation, I owe everyone an explanation, but I just can't right now. My face is... killing me. Please, I promise I'll talk, just... not now."

April clenches her jaw. "Fine. But this is not over. Will you at least tell me how this happened?"

Kimmy takes a deep breath. "We had a fight. He had too much to drink. And that's really it."

April shakes with anger. "I can't believe this. I can't believe any of this. Has he hit you before?"

Kimmy shakes her head, but somehow April is unconvinced.

"I swear he hasn't." Kimmy insists.

"At least you had the good sense to run" April mutters quietly.

Twenty minutes later, and Kimmy is finally seen by a doctor. April's suspicion about her broken cheek bone and busted eye socket are confirmed shortly. As they work to stitch her face up, Kimmy's doctor takes April aside.

"She's gonna need someone to watch her, for the next 24 hours for concussion."

April nods. "She's not going anywhere. Not a chance." She turns back to the Doctor. "I'm a doctor in Seattle, don't worry. My sisters in annoyingly capable hands.

"Good."

April turns to her sister. "Do you hear that? So don't even think about trying to take off. You're hurt, and you probably have a concussion, and something tells me you don't feel like making this whole mess worse, right?"

Kimmy nods silently, before looking up at her sister. "I was just trying to spare Mom and Dad more Hell April. She says, with her chin quivering. "Ive caused enough drama for a lifetime. I thought, If I could get out of town, they'd never know."

April's tough big sister act begins to melt. She wraps her arms around her little sister. "It's going to be okay." She whispers, smoothing Kimmy's hair.

* * *

><p>It is close to 4:30 in the morning by the time April gets Kimmy back into the car. "We need to book it home before anyone wakes up." She turns to Kimmy at a red light. "So here's what we're going to do. We're gonna get home, and you can take the hide-a-bed in the basement, and we can figure all of this out when the sun comes up." April takes her hand.<p>

April and Kimmy ease into the driveway, and quietly walk to the side of the house, up to the kitchen door. "Alright, let's do this." April whispers.

"Where. The _Hell_ were you April?" Joe is sitting at the kitchen table, arms crossed.

April sighs. "Dad. I can explain."

"You better explain, taking my car in the middle of the night? Going God knows where, and why?"

"Daddy." April pleads. I'll explain everything, but you need to stay calm.

"You don't need to explain anything." Kimmy speaks up behind her, coming into the kitchen. "Dad. It's my fault she took the car."

Joe stares at his other daughter in disbelief. "Kimberly?" He gets to his feet and throws his arms around her.

"Careful Dad." April warns.

"Kimmy what happened to your face?" He reaches out to her as she winces.

"That's where we were tonight. I... caught Kimmy down here about 3 hours ago, and insisted she let me take her to the hospital." April explains.

Joe looks at her. "Why didn't you wake your mother and I?"

Kimmy stares at her shoes. "I didn't want you to know." she admits. "If you knew, you'd freak out like you're doing now. I couldn't take you freaking out."

"Joe what is going on down there?" Karen comes into the kitchen, and gasps at the sight of her second youngest daughter. "Kimberly!"

Kimmy and April exchange a glance as Karen tightly embraces her, and they repeat the story of that night for the second time in less than 10 minutes.

Karen holds her daughter tightly. "How did this happen?"

Kimberly glances at April. "I had a fight with my... boyfriend." she lies.

Joe breathes hard. "Where is he? I will kill that bastard for hurting you." He roars.

"Daddy you don't need to do that." Kimmy says quietly. "He took off. I don't know where he is."She looks at April. "I need to lie down. My head is killing me" she says quietly. "I'm gonna take the sofa bed downstairs."

"I'm on concussion watc.h" She reminds Kimmy. "I'll be down there in an hour."

Kimmy slowly makes her way out of the kitchen, and April turns to face her parents.

"Looks like Kimmy's home." she says quietly, knowing full well how loaded that statement truly was.


End file.
